Creative Art

“Art is the window to man's soul.

Without it, he would never be able to see 

beyond his immediate world; 

nor could the world see the man within.”

~Claudia Lady Bird Johnson quotes 

Saturday can be a lazy day for me.

I always feel like I need an extra day

of just doing nothing but whatever

the whim of the moment. 

No household chores

or running errands

if I can help it.

So I snapped a couple of pix

and then played with them 

in my photo editor.

Fun times!

Just Fine

Every once in a while
I come across a passage in a book
that .... says more than I ever could.
When you find something like that,
read it, then pause.
Sometimes you can relate to the writer.

“Take a shower. Wash away every trace of yesterday. Of smells. Of weary skin. Get dressed. Make coffee, windows open, the sun shining through. Hold the cup with two hands and notice that you feel the feeling of warmth. 
 You still feel warmth. 
Now sit down and get to work. Keep your mind sharp, head on, eyes on the page and if small thoughts of worries fight their ways into your consciousness: threw them off like fires in the night and keep your eyes on the track. Nothing but the task in front of you.

Get off your chair in the middle of the day. Put on your shoes and take a long walk on open streets around people. Notice how they’re all walking, in a hurry, or slowly. Smiling, laughing, or eyes straight forward, hurried to get to wherever they’re going. And notice how you’re just one of them. Not more, not less. Find comfort in the way you’re just one in the crowd. Your worries: no more, no less.

Now get back to work.
 Work with your mind sharp and eyes focused and if any thoughts of worries or hate or sadness creep their ways around, shake them off like a runner in the night for you own your mind, and you need to tame it. Focus. Keep it sharp on track, nothing but the task in front of you.
Work until your eyes are tired and head is heavy, and keep working even after that.

Then take a shower, wash off the day. Drink a glass of water. Make the room dark. Lie down and close your eyes.
 Notice the silence. Notice your heart. Still beating. Still fighting. You made it, after all. You made it, another day. And you can make it one more. 
You’re doing just fine.
You’re doing fine."     ― Charlotte Eriksson


So often, our daily lives are
routine,
monotonous,
repetitive.
When in reality, we should be making
more of our lives than everyday tasks,
noticing the little things that are right
in front of our very eyes.
Even if it's just one little thing every day
that shows us there's more to life.

I notice those things about myself
this time of year.  Holidays and work
in the retail sector -- after so many years
it seems to suck the life out of a person.
I think that's why I make pictures -
whether they're of nature,
or selfies,
being creative is essential to being me.
As long as I'm doing that,
I'm doing just fine.

Persuasion

“Odors have a power of persuasion 

stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. 

The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, 

it enters into us like breath into our lungs,

it fills us up, imbues us totally. 

There is no remedy for it.” 

― Patrick Süskind

A photo for a friend who called me on 

not posting photos for a month,

for allowing me to vent 

and ponder what's next ....

Thank you!

Appreciation

The internet is a busy place.
So many people posting things:
thoughts, dreams, selfies ....
the list goes on and on.
But what does it take to get noticed?

It seems most folks nowadays are on
FaceBook.  And the people with
busy pages (read lots of "likes")
are celebrities, national and local.

Have we become a society who
values notoriety over everything else?
Jumping on the bandwagon of "likes"
because everyone else did?

This blog is a very personal space -
MY personal space.  Ad I've always
thought it a place where I am free to be me.

You're right, it's not something I can
discuss with anyone in my "real life".
Just a simple Gal who likes taking pix
and putting a little bit of creativity into
a life that is sometimes .... too routine.

The number of folks who drop by and
peruse my work has been dwindling,
which is one of the reasons I stopped
posting.  What's been weighing on my
mind is whether or not it's time to
shut it down, maybe move on to
something else, something different.

I know it takes an effort on your part
to log in and look at a blog to see if it's
been updated in any way.  For those of
you who are regular visitors, thank you,
it's appreciated!

The "You" Within

“And like flowers in the fields,

that make wonderful views,

when we stand side-by-side in our wonderful hues..


We all make a beauty so wonderfully true.

We are special and different, and just the same, too!


So whenever you look at your beautiful skin,

from your wiggling toes to your giggling grin...


Think how lucky you are that the skin you live in,

so beautifully holds the "You" who's within.”

― Michael Tyler, The Skin You Live In

Saturday Sunshine!

Morning sunshine
is the nicest part of the day!

Rising early,
Sadie and I headed out to
the local park for our walk.

As I stopped to gaze into
the sun to check for birds
or anything else in the pond,
Sadie decided to inspect the
pond up close .....
and promptly fell in!
Slippery, muddy banks
and she couldn't get any
traction and get out on her own.
I had to fish her out of the
smelly water.

What to do with a wet smelly dog
while it's only 50 degrees and breezy?
Hurry home for a warm bath, of course!

Balance

"We need to introduce a little balance into our lives. 

Part of this balance means not missing out 

on some of the marvels of life around you, the fun, 

some excitement, or other challenges in life." 

~ Catherine Pulsifer

Life has been busy.

Or has it?

When it comes to work, family

and other obligations, 

we need to find balance.

But that isn't an easy thing to do.

I struggle with it ... often.

I found this note about balance:

• Nobody forces us to live busy lives. We do it because we want to feel a sense of purpose, commitment, and accomplishment. You may have to maintain a full schedule out of obligation—kids to feed or loans to pay off—but there are a lot of things we could sacrifice if we truly wanted a simpler life.

• If you’ve chosen to do various different things, engage with many people, and strive toward numerous goals, realize a lot will feel out of control at times. The more elements you introduce to your life, the more unpredictable the days will be. Sometimes the uncertainty is both the most exciting and terrifying part. Choose to focus on the former. Why fight the game you’ve chosen to play?

What I keep coming back to is wanting

a simpler life.  As I get older, of course,

things naturally become simpler. 

Kids have their own lives, and my

biggest worry is when and where

to walk Sadie.  But that doesn't mean

I still don't want or need a sense of

purpose and accomplishment as well.

Balance.  So hard to find and define

the line that seems to move every day.

What do you do to stay happy and balanced when life gets busy?

Just walk, and be.

“Go outside. Don’t tell anyone and don’t bring your phone. 

Start walking and keep walking 

until you no longer know the road like the palm of your hand, 

because we walk the same roads day in and day out, 

to the bus and back home and we cease to see. 

We walk in our sleep and teach our muscles to work without thinking 

and I dare you to walk where you have not yet walked and I dare you to notice. 

Don’t try to get anything out of it, because you won’t. 

Don’t try to make use of it, because you can’t. 

And that’s the point. 

Just walk, see, sit down if you like. 

And be. 

Just be, whatever you are with whatever you have, 

and realize that that is enough to be happy. 

There’s a whole world out there, right outside your window. 

You’d be a fool to miss it.” 

― Charlotte Eriksson

There's a whole world out there,

and these feet are tired from all

the walking lately.  I'm averaging

11k steps per day, 5+ miles a day.

So I took a few minutes 

to pamper myself

and decorate my toes.

Happy Walking! 

Old n' Bold

When you are old:

More wrinkles   yet   fewer doubts

Looser skin    yet   firmer confidence

Greyer hair   yet   more colorful

older mind   yet   younger spirit

Believe

“You may be the only person left who believes in you, 

but it's enough. 

It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. 

Never give up.” 

― Richelle E. Goodrich

Have you noticed that as we get older

there are fewer people who believe in us?

Somewhere along the line, we have to 

accept what others have taught us, and

have showed us, and believe in ourselves.

I haven't posted much lately as I've been

a little busy focusing on myself, spending

a little more time at the gym, and a little

more time on the things that have meaning

for me.

Finding balance between every day life

and the things that enrich the ordinary things

isn't always easy.  We have to make time 

for the things that are important to us. 

Enjoy for now!  More soon, I hope :)

Vacation Photos 2

 “I think that when two people 

are able to weave 

that kind of invisible thread 

of understanding and sympathy 

between each other, 

that delicate web, 

they should not risk tearing it. 

It is too rare,

and it lasts too short a time at best....” 

― M.F.K. Fisher

when you've been friends with someone
since you were 12 ....
they know all your secrets
and you know theirs.

Even when you've been apart
for a length of time,
when you pick up the phone
and start talking again,
it's as if the time apart
never happened.

That's how it is for me
and my bestie.
Sixth grade was a long time ago!

Best Friends since 1971

just a couple more shots at the
local museum and this
gorgeous porch!

Go and Laugh

“Laughter is wine for the soul - 

laughter soft, or loud and deep, tinged through with seriousness - 

the hilarious declaration made by man that life is worth living.” 

― Seán O'Casey

Go out and find some laughter!

I found some doing this series of photos .. 

laughter really is the best medicine!

Vacation Photos

i opted to pull this into a photo

because reflections in a window

can be very fascinating!















When i was on vacation
back in April
visiting my mom,
my bestie from
high school ....

(yes, a few decades ago!)

.... and i stopped at a
local museum and
wandered further out back
and found this old house
with a gorgeous porch

who can resist
using it for a photo op????

Thx for taking photos, M !

Sadie (again)

i wasn't going to include this photo,
but Sadie photobombed so well,
i couldn't ignore it.  :)

Pensive

“In the midst of a busy life 

don't forget to live.” 

― Marty Rubin

When things get too busy,

i often find myself reflecting

on the things i'm doing - 

and whether or not it's 

really living.

All work and no play makes a gal boring!

or so it seems

but then again, when there are things to do, 

momma always said "work before play".

Finding the balance between the two

isn't always easy.

So i do what i can, when i can.

Keep shooting!    that's the goal !

Juggling

I found this plastic background sheet
in the party section of my local Walmart
and thought hmm, maybe this would work?

But .... it was a disappointing effort,
so I tossed it into the trash --
after one picture for you, of course!

Life has been crazy busy lately,
and i have hired a personal trainer again,
making things even busier!
but in a good way.

a rare mid-week day off gave me
an opportunity to take photos.  Finally.
and also time to think about how life
has been so busy -- too busy to do
the things i really enjoy.
and of course, found a quote to share:

“Juggling and balancing effectively require 

that we make clear, legacy-driven choices 

about what we're trying to keep in the air 

and how we sequence our movements down the beam. 

Because the ultimate grade in life 

is not based on how far and fast we've walked the beam 

or how many things we’ve juggled—

it’s based on how much we've enjoyed the exercise.” 

― Eric C. Sinoway

Morning Shadow

“I thought

the most beautiful thing

in the world

must be shadow.”

― Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

My shadow in my art

is one way I trace

who I was

and where I have been.

My shadow and I

have been on a journey

for quite a while now.

-Angela Cartwright

Good sunny morning from the Valley of the Sun!
Hurricane Linda has been slewing clouds across
the skies for days now, making it humid -
and miserable.

I'm ready for fall:
cool mornings
warm sunny afternoons
and long shadows.

Are you?

Be Drawn

☆'•.¸✮' Lєt чoursєlf вє drαwn 

вч thє strαngє pull σf whαt чou lovє ~ 

ít wíll not lєαd чou αstrαч 

~ rumi ☆'•.¸✮'

Got SUN?

Girls

just

wanna

have 

SUN!

It's been a long week for me,
working my own duties in my own store,
and traveling to a neighboring store
helping someone else learn what I do.

Which also meant I was away from
the gym for a week as well.
And I can tell.

We've had rain here in the Valley of the Sun
for the past 4 out of 5 days.
Thankfully, it is finally cooling off, and
we can spend more time in the sun....
which is what I did after my shower!
There's nothing like warm sun
against naked skin....

Weirdness

I was reading Popular Science today,

and found a quote I liked:

"You can't try to copy someone's success.

You have to be true to your weirdness."

Always nice to get out

into the sunshine and

enjoy the day's last rays.

Did you get outside today?

And yes, I'm always true to my weirdness!

Backyard Gazing

5:30pm  -  102 degrees F  -  25% humidity

perfect for some nude backyard sitting! 

(with Sadie looking on, of course!)Backyard

Just for Laughs

Ok.  I'm a blonde.
I can admit it!

The other day, I was on the phone with my mother while driving home from work.

When I pulled into my driveway, shut the car off, I hear this music.... 80's rock ...

Sammy Hagar's song "Heavy Metal" ....  I laugh and tell Mom "I think my kid

is having a party, I can hear rock music!"

I walk into the house, and ask who's got the music going.  My kid looks into the garage,

and says "It's not me!"  We both stand and listen for a minute, now we both hear it ....

Hmmmmmm..... that's odd.

I turn and realize it's coming from my gym bag!

Somehow my MP3 player must have bumped into the ON position ---

I could only hear it when things were quiet :)

Yep.
I'mma blonde :)


PS  I had to look it up.  The "Heavy Metal" song I like listening to was from a movie of the same title, a 1981 Canadian adult animated anthology science fiction fantasy film adapted from Heavy Metal magazine and original stories in the same spirit. Like the magazine, the film features a great deal of graphic violence, sexuality, and nudity.   --according to Wikipedia. :)

( You can listen to a version here  )

Life's Art

“The key is to integrate our art into our life, 

not the other way around.” 

― Brooks Jensen

Snapshot

 “Beauty can be seen 

in all things, 

seeing and composing the beauty 

is what separates the snapshot 

from the photograph.

 – Matt Hardy

It's been a crazy week or so -
lots of work time,
gym time,
and home time.
Seems like there's never enough time
to do the things that fulfill my need
for creativity.
I keep telling myself that things have
got to change - but how do you find
time for that?  We had a week or so
of temps over 110 - hopefully the
last of the season.  When the weather
changes, more things can happen in
the outdoors, and people will stop being
so short tempered.  (that means me. haha)

I have been having dreams - last night
it was about being in a courtyard full
of flowers, with lots of butterflies around
and I was trying to photograph them.
But Sadie kept chasing them away.
I wonder if that's a metaphor for
how things are going these days?

From the Soul

“Art is what we call ... the thing an artist does.

It's not the medium or the oil or the price 

or whether it hangs on a wall or you eat it.

What matters, what makes it art, 

is that the person who made it overcame the resistance, 

ignored the voice of doubt 

and made something worth making. 

Something risky.   Something human.

Art is not in the ... eye of the beholder. 

It's in the soul of the artist.” 

― Seth Godin

No Bad Pix

Walked into the living room

and noticed the contrasts of

the light and the chair

and thought

"ooo, good pix opportunity"







So why is it that

adding myself

into the frame

loses something?

“There are no bad pictures; 

that's just how your face looks sometimes.” 

― Abraham Lincoln

Simple Presence

You must love yourself before you love another. 

By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, 

your simple presence can make others happy

Light

We are each gifted

in a unique and important way.

It is our privilege

and our adventure

to discover

our own special light.

~Mary Dunbar

Believe in Ourselves

“Once we believe in ourselves, 

we can risk curiosity, 

wonder, 

spontaneous delight, 

or any experience that reveals 

the human spirit.” 

― e.e. Cummings

The Gold Chair

Perched in the corner


of my hotel room

was this gold chair.


Wish my stay was

longer, it might have

been perfect with

morning light coming

in the window.

“Take the chair and sit at the fore-front of your dreams. 

You are the chair-person at the center of affairs; 

make it memorable; 

make an impact! 

Leave a legacy!” 

― Israelmore Ayivor

No-tell Motel

"All good hotels

tend to lead people

to do things

they wouldn't necessarily

do at home."

--Andre Balazs











ok, so maybe it wasn't a really "good" hotel
more your average one night stay because
you know the only thing you're going to do
there is sleep.

Well.  Most of us.  *laughs*

I fully intended to have time on my hands
in the evening of my weekend away.
My daughter had other plans.

We spent Friday shopping here, there and
everywhere, getting caught up in
Wedding Fever.
After all the running, it was dinner.
Being a young couple, my daughter and
her man tend to eat late.
I, on the other hand, dine early;
partly because I'm old, and partly
because of my tendency to rise early.

(seems the older I get, the more I am
living the adage, "Early to bed, Early to rise"
even when I don't have to!)

By the time I got to my hotel, it was nearly 9pm!
and we'd just finished dinner.  I can't sleep on
a full stomach, so of course, I grabbed my
camera for a few shots *cheeky grin*

Toes

Quick post.....

painted up my toes

before heading

out of town

to see my daughter

and help with

wedding plans!

It was a productive trip -

More on that soon......

Happy Sunday!

Games

“Life is 

more fun 

if you play games.” 

― Roald Dahl

How often do we skip

something, thinking we're

too old for it?

Who says we're too old?

Are we listening to our own

desires?  or what the outside 

world is telling us?

Listen to your inner child,

go outside, have some fun! 

Happy weekend my friend :)

Fun Day

“You can't stop the future

You can't rewind the past

The only way to learn the secret

...is to press play.” 

― Jay Asher

I woke up this morning 

and peeked outside

the day greeted me

with this sunrise.

I can remember my momma

telling me "go outside and play"

when all I wanted to do

was read a book or two.

Take if from me

Go outside and play!

Make it a fun day! 

Cactus Blooms

i get great joy
when one of my
cactus blooms!



i am also a voracious reader/learner.

nothing makes me happier than
learning something new,
especially when it seems to explain *me*

this is the one i learned today:

Demisexuals are characterized by a lack of sexual attraction toward any person unless they become deeply emotionally or romantically connected with a specific person or persons. The level of connection it takes for sexual desire to form is dependent on how close the relationship is rather than initial attraction. It is an orientation that is not chosen.

Demisexuality does not refer to the active restraint or repression of sexual desires or actions.

Demi- is a prefix meaning half. This is used to mean halfway between sexual and asexual. The term originated in the asexual community, specifically within the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN).

This was taken from Urban Dictionary,
but it makes total explanatory sense to me
i'm not a "love 'em and leave 'em"
kind of gal.
One night stands?
I tried that.
Once.
Hated it.
Dating?
Quite the turn off when a guy thinks he
can change my mind after i've assured
him that i'm not looking for sex.

i've always said that sex is like the frosting
on a cake.  Without the cake, frosting is
way overrated.   This Demisexual label
explains things very well for me.

Birthdays

“You’ll learn, as you get older, that rules are made to be broken. 

Be bold enough to live life on your terms, and never, ever apologize for it. 

Go against the grain, refuse to conform, take the road less traveled 

instead of the well-beaten path. 

Laugh in the face of adversity, and leap before you look. 

Dance as though EVERYBODY is watching. 

March to the beat of your own drummer. 

And stubbornly refuse to fit in.”

― Mandy Hale, The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass

Another year has come and gone.

Another year older and most days 

I certainly don't feel it!

But on those fewer days, 

the creaks, the groans

things changing, shifting

and even sagging.

But that is life, and 

I accept it as it comes.

I am a free spirit,

and do my own thing,

the years be damned! 

I spent my Day at work. 

My son bought Chipotle for dinner.

Friends called and sent good wishes.

Life is good! 

Another year has come and gone....

and many more to come!

Body Beautiful

"To me, beauty is about being 

comfortable in your own skin.

It's about knowing 

and accepting who you are."

-Ellen Degeneres

Keep Smiling!

Keep Smiling

because Life

is a beautiful thing

and there is 

so much to smile about!

-Marilyn Monroe

Do you have days where its
hard to get through them
and keep smiling?

When life gets hectic,
when work gets crazy,
when your mind is in another place,
I don't know about you, but
smiling is the last thing
on my mind.

I know that I would be .....
better perceived
by my peers
if I smiled more.
But a smile doesn't
come naturally to me.

But when I smile,
it's always for real :)

Keep smiling!

Close-Up

“The most 

beautiful thing 

we can 

experience 

is the mysterious."

-Albert Einstein

Life is funny at times.

Some days, I sit down at my computer

craving human interaction.

Other days, I sit down at my computer

forging my way through the tasks

that are required

wanting only to turn the thing off

and get busy doing something that

doesn't feel like a waste of time.

But I find myself wandering through

different websites, looking for ideas,

inspiration, that element of 'mysterious'

that makes it all feel beautiful.

Happy Weekend, my friend!

Ride the Wind

“Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,

For I would ride with you upon the wind,

Run on the top of the disheveled tide,

And dance upon the mountains like a flame.” 

― W.B. Yeats

Weather

“When all is said and done, 

the weather and love 

are the two elements 

about which one can never be sure.” 

― Alice Hoffman

Monsoon season here in the Valley of the Sun

brings lots of wind, rain and when we're

lucky, some thunder and lightning.

The wind blew up, but nothing else.

I was disappointed, looking forward

to a good rainstorm on a day off work.

Maybe next week.

Monsoon (Video attached)

There was a monsoon last evening, they're so

intense and short lived, but I enjoy them just the same!  

I have always said that I enjoy storms because I 

was born during a summer midwestern thunderstorm.

Maybe there's something to that, and maybe it's ....

just something to give me a reason for liking them!

If there's a way, I will be out in them, or glued to 

a window watching them. Especially here in the

desert, because they're often very short lived.

I think ours last night was over in less than 

30 minutes.  In the midwest if it begins to storm, 

after the 'eye' has moved on, you often get rain for the

next several hours! 

I found this post of yesterday's storm, thought I'd share.

While the one at the top is almost pretty, the reality of

our monsoons is more like this last one, it's amazing

what Mother Nature can do in 37 seconds! 

 

Post #900

Post #900

Hard to believe that
i'm still making
these photos.

Fiddling with the
crop stuff in
Adobe Photoshop.

Sometimes too many
options take too much
time to learn.

So we don't.

Wedding Blahs and some

my daughter is getting married.
or so it seems.
she has vanity fair ideals and dreams
with a wal-mart budget.

if there's going to be a wedding in
march, girl's gotta get on the stick!

lousy at planning, she asked for help.
and i was willing to give it my all
until her daddy stepped in with $10k
no way "shabby chic" or anything
"home spun" will fit in with his plans.

so why is it that when a person offers
money, they expect to have a say-so in
how it's spent?  she will have to be strong!

i remember my first wedding, to her daddy,
but in fact, i remember it only as an overall
deal, and not the details.  why?  i'm not
really sure, perhaps because it was planned
by my mom more than me.   there were
200 guests -- i think i knew about 50 of them.

my last wedding i remember in great detail
because it was on the cheap, and it was fun.
nothing formal, nothing traditional - a simple
backyard wedding.  i sewed my dress, and
the tops and vests for the kids (they were
the attendants).  my mom came and helped
make spicy meatballs and potato salad.
we had a pony keg for drinks.

when it comes to weddings,
less is more.  IMO.
but what do i know?
mine didn't last.

Simple

“simple abundance:

1: an inner journey;

2: a spiritual and practical course
                                     in creative living;

3: a tapestry of contentment”

― Sarah Ban Breathnach





A glorious backyard morning

and a new camera to play with

along with some thoughts from a

fav'd author.  Life has been hectic

and that has to change.

Simple Abundance is what I will

be striving for over the next month.

July is always a reflective month for me,

probably because I'm stuck indoors

as if it were winter.

(As always, Sadie has to be in on the action!)

Be Free

“Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. 

Maybe they just need to run free 

until they find someone just as wild to run with them.

-Carrie Bradshaw” 

Morning

“Laugh at yourself, 

but don’t ever aim your doubt 

at yourself. 

Be bold. 

When you embark 

for strange places, 

don’t leave any of yourself 

safely on shore. 

Have the nerve to go into 

unexplored territory.”

 ~ Alan Alda 

I have always enjoyed the wit and wisdom

of Alan Alda ... or was I crushing on

Hawkeye Pierce ?

*grins*

I had to replace my worn out TV (finally!)

and now have a "smart" tv.  And I promptly

checked out Netflix - and found they have

the TV series MASH!  I've been on a 

binge-watch, but limiting myself to 3 episodes

a day.  Even among the humor and satire of

the show, there's a warmth that exudes from

him - from all of the cast.   Love it :)

A few years back, my local PBS station

carried his series Scientific American. 

His voice is soothing, and he's fascinated

by the topics he explored.   I watched every

single episode of those as well.  

And my all time fav Alan Alda movie?
Same Time, Next Year. 

It's simple, yet complex, I watch it often! 

If you haven't seen it -- you should :) 

The flashbacks to different decades is fun!

hApPy FrIdAy!

Good

Morning

Beautiful

World!

Ahh a gorgeous

Friday morning

with NO work

for me today!

I'm grateful

for that one

little thing ....

along with the

gorgeous morning

before the 

desert sun 

sets fire to

the rest of today.

I saw this 

wonderful quote

and am sharing:

Get out there, do something wild today!

Happy Friday :)